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[OOC-D&D 4e: Forgotten Realms] A Paid Trip to Spellhold

In Amn, everything has a price. From assassins and slaves to art and artefacts, the nation offers an indulgence or a vice for everyone. The laws can be if you don’t have the coins to be in the proper side of things. From a Cowled Wizard of Athkatla to a simple militia man in any of the small villages of Amn, everyone has a price. Even you have a price too; this time, a very good price...Or that you thought. Athkatla is full of surprises, and when you came looking for what was promised, you only found a trap. Luckily you scaped with your life at least. As the athkatlaians says “Around every street corner and bend in the road, Amn might hold the opportunity of a lifetime—or a cutthroat waiting to end your life.” That was an example of the second one.
Now you are stuck in the capital city for a time.

What you know of the area:

Amn

Amn is a place where respect and reputation can be bought, regardless of race. The exceptions are many of the monstrous races, which have become reviled since the rise of Muranndin, a monster kingdom that lies to the south. The High Houses maintain a bounty on the heads of trolls, ogres, and giants.

Many adventurers come to Amn seeking wealth and reputation. Groups such as the Blazing Swords have seen their ranks inflate in recent years, and the lure of merchant bounties on bandits and monsters inspire many to take up the sword. However, spellcasting adventurers must conceal their talents or face the wrath of the Cowled Wizards, the only “legal” wizards allowed in the region.

The shadow Thieves are the predominant thief guild in all Amn. Bandits and pickpockets who do not ally with the guild face a grave threat from the domineering organization.
The Cowled Wizards are the cabal of the only “legal” arcanists in Amn. The Cowled Wizards serve as the Meisarch’s spies, troubleshooters, and assassins. Most are little more than mercenaries.

The Emerald Cabal is a secret society of unlawful spellcasters opposes the whole crooked Amnian system. The cabal occasionally arranges “unfortunate events” for merchant lords who become excessively destructive.

Athkatla

This capital city is the golden heart of Amn, though only insofar as the country’s wealth goes. Athkatla might be home to some of Faerûn’s richest citizens, but the city’s core is rotten. The council of Five controls every commercial trait, and dispense justice as money dictates. There are rumours that Shadow thieves have a free way to their illicit actions.

Athkatla’s government, the Council of the Five, have requested volunteers for an expedition to Spellhold, the abandoned detention centre for outlaw and insane spellcasters.

The Blazing Swords seems to be a recently formed and exponentially growing adventurers guild. For a fee, anyone can become a Blazing sword. Of course there’s honour to be gained, the glory of battle... But first the fee.

Spellhold

Once a Cowled Wizard detention centre for outlaw and insane spellcasters, the Spellhold is now an anathema to Amn’s otherwise ordered nation. The Spellhold lies abandoned on the island of Brynnlaw, and it has gained notoriety in recent decades after groups of adventurers travelled there and never returned.
The Five are interested in this places, but their reasons remain secret.

Character creation:

22 buy points
Level 1
Character Classes: I won't allow the clases of FRC. Just that. Also, no Spellscars. I want to run it as core as I can, to not mess up with the rules.
Background: I’ll like to pay attention to this particular thing. Also note that you must include your own reasons for being in Athkatla, and you particular episode with Athkatla’s finest residents. Where you set up by greedy merchant? Assaulted or robbed by the Shadow thievs? Arrested or blackmailed by Cowled Wizards? That’s up to you to decide.
Allowed material: PHB, PHB2, DMB, MM(Keep in mind that monstrous races would be in dire situations inside the capital city, if they don’t find a good way to conceal themselves).

It’s no necessary that you post an entire sheet, just a peek on background and main choices, like race class and such.

Last edited by Voda Vosa; Thursday, 26th March, 2009 at 02:40 AM.

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edit: Not sure on race, or a name yet... but the character is a Primal power source (either warden or druid). He is delivering an acorn (or cutting, or whatever) from his order's sacred grove, to another order in the city. He is attacked, and the sacred acorn is lost, stolen and/or destroyed.

Pairing from the same sacred grove works for me (possibly even as siblings)... might also help me with this "kid in a candy store" feeling that's preventing me from nailing down a race. I'm jumping between Dwarf, Longtooth Shifter and Human... also briefly considered Warforged.

I figure that we could've been jailed during our "goodwill mission" under suspicion of possessing magic (the "sacred seed")... and even though we are later released from imprisionment, our 'whatever' is gone.

I figure that we could've been jailed during our "goodwill mission" under suspicion of possessing magic (the "sacred seed")... and even though we are later released from imprisionment, our 'whatever' is gone.

Good idea, like it!

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For siblings:We could also be adopted siblings (dwarf and elf got some potential), or actual siblings and a gone awry reincarnation ritual.

The only FR- Dwarf Druid I know is Pikel and both the Shield and Gold dwarves are not that 'rural'.

Okay, I'm leaning towards Avenger. This could work for Invoker if we need a controller.

I'm right now operating under the idea that my character was a servant of the now-banished Mulhorandi gods (I think Anhur is my best bet), and an guardian of the royal family. He died when Mulhorand was ripped out of the realms, but reincarnated with no clear purpose. He has nominally claimed Torm as his patron, but does not feel enthused. His last mission for Torm's church has brought him to Amn, but that failed miserably. He is now mostly aimless, working as a mercenary/bounty hunter/assassin and his morals are fading fast.

I'm imagining that he came here on a mission to prove himself to the Church of Torm, to protect someone. The person he was guarding had enemies and he was killed and I, having failed my mission, have no where to go. This is causing my aimlessness. At this point, any job will do.

[Edit 2] Would love an avenger if CG goes the Invoker route, otherwise Ranger, or Rogue are possibilities.

An elven bounty hunter, female, recovering from a terrible beating she had received recently. The events of the last few weeks are a blur that she only remembers in bits and pieces. She was here in the capitol for a reason, but the blow to her head left her confused as to why. This city isn't her home, but she's been here before, in the past. Now she is searching for a purpose, any purpose, but her own unremembered purpose would be best.